onsdag 22 maj 2019

New podcast explores why 'statistically significant' is so misunderstood

IMAGE: PHOTO WITH GRAPHIC OVERLAY AND QUOTE 'A SMALL 
P-VALUE IS LIKE A RIGHT SWIPE IN TINDER. IT MEANS YOU HAVE 
AN INTEREST. IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU'RE READY 
TO BOOK THE...view more 
CREDIT: MONCHU
EurekAlert! Science News: Featuring researcher and Executive Director of the American Statistical Association, Ron Wasserstein

'Statistical significance' is one of the most widely misunderstood phrases in science, according to a 2013 Scientific American article.

It's a controversial topic. Probability values (p-values) have been used as a way to measure the significance of research studies since the 1920s, with thousands of researchers relying on them since. With this reliance, though, comes misunderstanding and, therefore, misuse.